Sallisaw isn’t out to set history today, they just want to repeat it when they visit Greenwood.

The Bulldogs are riding a 38-game winning streak, which is tied for third longest in Arkansas high school football history.

It was 47 years ago when Fort Smith Saint Anne’s had its 38-game winning streak — which was tied for the longest in the state at the time — snapped by Spiro, another neighboring Oklahoma school. The Bulldogs’ Bill Gupton scored on a 3-yard run with 5:40 left in the game to secure a 6-0 win at Hunt’s Park, home of the Buffaloes.

“We would very much like to repeat history, but they’re a great program,” Sallisaw head coach Craig Benson said. “That’s a tall order. There’s a reason why they haven’t lost a game in a long time.”

“It’s a great opportunity for us,” Benson said. “That’s the way we look at it.”

Greenwood will head into the season without returning All-State quarterback Jabe Burgess, who is still recovering from a broken foot suffered in late July. Reid Wheeler has earned the start for the Bulldogs at Smith-Robinson Stadium.

“He will start, and we’ll see what happens,” Greenwood head coach Rick Jones said. “He’s been solid and consistent.”

In last week’s scrimmage against Van Buren, Wheeler was 14-of-18 passing for 276 yards and six touchdowns. Kevin Jones was 11-of-14 for 108 yards and ran for two touchdowns. Kyler Watson was 6-of-8 for 62 yards and a touchdown mostly against the Pointers’ second team.

“We were solid, I thought,” Jones said. “We threw the ball to the right guy. We made good decisions. We took care of the football. I was pleased with all three of them. I thought all three of them did a good job.”

Greenwood definitely won’t take Sallisaw lightly. During the Bulldogs’ current 38-game winning streak, the Bulldogs have only trailed in 13 games. One of those was last season, when Sallisaw led 14-13 in the second quarter before Greenwood rallied for a 47-14 win.

“We don’t have to spend much time looking at the film to see it was a challenge,” Jones said. “It was nip and tuck until midway through the third quarter. That’s the way it is with those guys, they’re going to play tough physical football.”

Sallisaw will be breaking in a new quarterback as well in sophomore Quint Scoufos. The lefty was forced into a little varsity action last year because of injuries.

“We feel like he has a lot of skill,” Benson said. “He’s not your average sophomore, but he’s still a sophomore. We’re going to have to let him cut his teeth at his pace. We need to spoon feed him and not force feed him.”

Scoufos will operate behind a big veteran line with three full-time returning starters in Derek Harris, Asa Horse and Dakota Wylie. Another, Kyler Skelton, started six games.

“They have a big offensive line,” Jones said. “You know Sallisaw is going to be tough. It’s a good test. It’s hard sometimes when a team just lines up and runs right at you. They’re going to assault us.”

The Black Diamonds also have the best kicker in Oklahoma in senior Sinue Rodriguez. He has made 35-of-47 field goals in his career, including a long of 55 yards in the playoffs last year, and 111-of-115 extra points. He consistently puts the ball into the end zone on kickoffs and has punted 102 times for an average of 39.6 yards per punt.

Sallisaw will play another stout nonconference schedule, headed by the three-time defending state champion Bulldogs.

“It’s a great venue to play in, and they have a great crowd,” Benson said. “The speed at which they play, the way they coach their kids, the way their kids play and respond does nothing but make us better. It makes us play up to our very best.”